Moharimet carnival benefits playground project

MADBURY — Games, crafts, prizes and cupcakes filled the Moharimet School on Saturday during its 24th annual winter carnival in hopes of raising money to renovate their playground.

Rebecca Kell, volunteer and festival organizer, said for the first year ever, the event was free. Kell said they were asking for donations.

“In past years, money has been raised for PTO,” she said, adding that this year they hope to raise a decent amount to go toward the $32,000 renovation project in the school’s backyard.

“The playground’s hill is starting to erode,” she said. “We need to do some major renovations. There are also issues with some existing structures like splintering.”

Kell said the playground, which was built by parent volunteers about 20 years ago, is not going to be replaced, but that it will be renovated.

“It’s truly a unique playground,” she said. “We get people from all over the place that come specifically to play in that playground.”

With an estimated 500 carnival-goers on Saturday, Kell said she was excited to see so many people coming to the support the cause.

Each child who entered the carnival, which spanned throughout the school, with a bouncy house in one room, fencing and music demonstrations in the cafeteria and games just around the corner, were given a card to fill with stickers.

“Each sticker represents how many games or activities they did,” Kell said. “When they are through, they can go get a prize in the prize room.”

The infamous game of the day was the “crazy cupcake cake walk,” where children walk around a numbered path in time to music until it stops. If the number called out is the number you are standing on, you win a cupcake.

Kell said this year, “crazy cupcakes” were donated by parents, along with other festival food.

“Everything was either donated or discounted,” she said.

The event also had baskets being raffled off that were created by different classrooms. Baskets were full of children games, art materials and winter activities.

“Today is just a way to bring the community together, help out and, it is a fun activity for the winter time,” Kell said.